Bound

Prologue

 Two hundred years ago, all of the Outlands lived in peace and harmony. Eliessa of the Water and Ice Mages to the North, Ithinar of the Air and Weather Mages North-East, the High Elf City of Ithesa to the East, Finwele of the Woodland and Earth Mages to the North-West; Finwele was also home to the Ancient Ones, or the Fey Folk. The Shape-shifting warriors of Sivinte resided in the South-West, Alemere of the Fire and Lava Mages were to the South-East while the Mining and Mineral Mages made their home in the South.

They lived in the same villages and their children all went to the same teacher; they even loved each other romantically. For two centuries peace and harmony ruled the lands… until the High King and Queen sent assassins after the pregnant Sivinte Wolf-Queen. The High Elf assassins were caught before they could complete the attempt and they were sentenced to death without the proper trial… not only were High Elves upset but as were the Sivinte Shape-shifters.

 For weeks, Pack Master Alexi petitioned the other shifters to fight him and out of the four shifter clans, including his own, only the clan willing were the Panthers. The Sivinte Lord Iyrandrar, Leader of the Flock, couldn’t risk the lives of the Outlands’ warriors; human hunters still attacked the Outlands… The Sivinte warriors were already dispersed about the lands evacuating and protecting the people, Lord Iyrandrar couldn’t release more warriors into the war others were trying to contain.

Soon the Wolves, Panthers and the Fey formed a union and sent delegates on their behalf to negotiate a truce with the High King. The delegates met for days and still nothing was decided. Arguments and slanders were used that made the damage irreparable. Many more died in the years the war raged on and with neither side seeming to want an end others began choosing a side…

While the Wolves’ alliance only enslaved and imprisoned their captives, the High Elves tortured and killed anyone left alive on the battlefield. There would be no end to the war between the Wolves and the High Elves…

The Outlands were split into two factors, two ruling orders. Most of the Sivinte warriors sided with Pack Master Alexi; the High Elves had killed too many of their kind for there ever to be peace. The mining mages of Mireseth, the Woodland mages of Finwele all sided with the Wolves; to them their cause was just. It was a taboo to kill a mate; to attempt to kill a pregnant mate was treason everywhere in the Outlands. Many of the people were beginning to see how corrupt the High King and Queen were…

The High King and Queen were at their wits end with the situation. Never did they expect to fail or be caught; they most certainly never expected such a rebellion. High Queen Kythaela was extremely bothered to know that her family in the Fey sided with the mongrels… had it the plan gone accordingly, the Fey would’ve been next in line for succession. It was laughable that they now believed that they would overthrow her with the mongrels she sought to box out. Queen Kythaela would make sure there would be no union… no one to overthrow her reign.

 During the time of the war, Pack Master Alexi and Fey King Aeden had become more than allies, they were genuine comrades. The Fey King sided with Alexi because he too had a pregnant mate… it was unthinkable to put his Gardenia in the shoes of the Sivinte Queen. What better what to celebrate their friendship than a union of blood? The first-born son of the Pack Master and the first-born daughter of the Fey King was sure to be a blessed match… Gabriele and Soliel.

Both Kings realized that their children being born on the same day at the same time was nothing more than a good omen and blessing from the Gods. The Fey Queen Gardenia foresaw their blessed life and shared the news of their divinity all throughout the Outlands… all of the Outlands would finally have the King and Queen they deserved; even the Gods thought that their plans were just and true.

The news spread quickly throughout the Outlands; commoners, peasants and some of the higher-class would drink and toast to their good health and fortune. The thought of being free from the tyranny on all their minds. The High King and Queen —

“They are asleep, my Moon.”

 His deep, gruff voice startled her from the story; the scene she had been setting for them. She had only tilted the book to peek at her sleeping darlings. They were fast asleep, not a care in the world… completely at peace. She smiled lovingly and placed the book on the nightstand, tiptoeing to the cracked door her husband left for her. She didn’t stop until she was in their room, closing the door gently behind her.

“Outland again?”

 She chuckled softly. “It was my turn to choose… and they love the way I read the story.”

“Sure,” he said rolling his eyes. “What is it with you and that story? You’ve read it every other week since we were kids?”

 He kicked off his work boots and placed them outside of their door. She watched him as he stripped his clothes and put them in the hamper. She had gotten lost in him for just a moment; she often forgot how attractive her husband was with and without clothing… she certainly was lucky.

“I don’t know… the first-born women have always been fascinated with the story. I don’t think Kaliope is old enough for the next part of the story though,” she said thoughtfully.

“Hey,” he said seriously. He looked her straight in the eyes, “I thought we weren’t pushing your Mom’s weird pagan stuff on the girls… not that it’s a bad childhood,” he added quickly seeing her eyes curl in suspicion. “But you did say it was tough for you at some points… like fitting in.”

“Yeah, I get it.” She snapped in response and folded her arms over her chest. “You don’t want me to make them freaks with my freaky childhood things.”

“No,” he said backtracking. “I don’t remember using more than a few of those words…”

 She sighed. “I know what you were saying love… the dejected child in me just felt like it was a jab. I apologize but it is just a story… magick, romance, mythical creatures! What girl wouldn’t love it?”

 He walked to her and kiss her gently on the forehead. “Tell that dejected child that the bullied geek in me liked you just the way you were… he was just chickenshit.”

They laughed together and somehow; she too had tossed her clothes in the hamper…

“Besides,” he added between kisses. “Soleil is a smart girl, she’d never just do something without thinking it through… she’s sensible.”

 She chirped sexily as he wrapped her legs around his waist and held her behind in his palms. “Right! See you were worried for nothing.”

***

 Soleil knew she would be in trouble with Mama in the morning all because her pins had come undone as she frantically searched for the book in the dark. The light didn’t matter to Soleil, while she could read her reading wasn’t good enough for Outland… she had only wanted to sleep with it.

 She climbed back into bed and allowed her hands to seek out the page. She wanted to see him, her book crush Gabriele. Her body always knew what page he was on without seeing… she felt a warm sensation in her chest when he was on the page. She felt warm and protected… the creatures that watched her from the window wouldn’t both her so much…

“Good night Gabriele,” she whispered sleepily as she curled next to the open book. Every night she heard him reply. “Good night, my Moon. Until we meet again.”